In moving Cory Luebke to the 60-day disabled list Friday, the Padres created an opening on the 40-man roster. They filled it with Alex Castellanos, claiming the 27-year-old outfielder off waivers from the Rangers.

Capable of playing all three outfield spots, Castellanos will join a mix that includes Kyle Blanks, Tommy Medica and Xavier Nady -- players looking to secure Opening Day roles through positional versatility. With center fielder Cameron Maybin expected to miss at least four weeks with a ruptured left biceps tendon, the Padres are seeking a fifth outfielder to join regulars Will Venable, Carlos Quentin, Chris Denorfia and Seth Smith.

“We’ve actually liked him for a while,” Padres General Manager Josh Byrnes said of Castellanos. “Over his turns through the waiver wire, we’d considered him, but now it just made more sense. It was a little more pressing with Cameron out.”

Castellanos has appeared in 24 major league games over the last two seasons, both with the Dodgers. In those games, he hit .171 with two home runs.

In 105 games with Triple-A Albuquerque last year, Castellanos hit .257 with 19 home runs, 61 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.

This is Castellanos’ fourth organization of the offseason. In October, the Dodgers traded him to the Red Sox. In December, he was designated for assignment to make room for catcher Mike Napoli. Soon thereafter, he was claimed off waivers by the Rangers, who designated him for assignment Wednesday, making room for left-hander Joe Saunders.

On the field, too, Castellanos has moved around. A converted infielder, he was originally drafted by the Cardinals in 2008. He returned to playing second and third for Texas this spring. Prior to Wednesday, he had gone 3-for-9 with a double for the Rangers.

Byrnes said he had asked Castellanos where he felt most comfortable, to which the Miami native replied, second base and the outfield.

“His versatility, we value that,” Byrnes said. “A player who can play so many positions can really help.”

Luebke, who underwent his second Tommy John surgery Feb. 18, is expected to miss at least 12 months.

Ross strong again

After throwing two shutout innings in his first start, Tyson Ross built on that performance in Friday’s 6-2 win over the Brewers. In three innings, the right-hander allowed no hits and two walks. He struck out three.

Twenty-five of his 41 pitches went for strikes, while “five or six,” Ross estimated, were sliders.

“It’s another solid outing, another step in the right direction,” Ross said. “I got to extend my pitch count a little bit, get up and down three times.”

Alex Dickerson and Rico Noel homered in the win. Dickerson’s home run was his first with the Padres, while Noel’s was an inside-the-park score.

Saturday's game

At: Peoria Stadium, 12:05 PST

Matchup: Indians (RHP Zach McAllister) vs. Padres (RHP Josh Johnson)

On the air: Fox Sports San Diego

Notable

Padres manager Bud Black expressed cautious optimism Friday regarding Maybin’s decision to forgo surgery on his ruptured left biceps tendon. “Our doctors feel good about the outcome if there’s not a surgical procedure,” Black said. “I think Cam feels good about this and he’s ready to rehab this without a surgery.”

Huston Street (groin) threw long-toss Friday. Street, who is nearing his spring debut, could throw a side session Saturday.

Dr. Frank Jobe, the orthopedic surgeon who pioneered the use of Tommy John surgery, died Thursday. He was 88. “Tremendous doctor, tremendous surgeon, very compassionate,” Black said. “He put his hands on me in the early 90s when I was with the Giants and had some elbow issues. He was a great guy that so many of us in this game owe a lot to.”